I ponder long what Your hands have wrought. I stretch my hands to You;

My soul longs after You as thirsts a dry and desert land.

Haste, Lord, to answer me! O how my spirit fails!

Hide not the light of Your face from me, lest I become like those

Who to the pit go down. O let me not with them descend.

Let me Your mercy hear when morning light appears;

I flee to You for my hiding place. Teach me to know the way;

Show me how I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.

Deliver me, O Lord, from all my enemies;

That You may hide me I flee to You. Teach me to do Your will,

For You alone are God; let Your good Spirit lead me on.

For Your name’s sake, O Lord, deal with me graciously;

Relieve my soul in Your righteousness. In Your unfailing love,

Silence my enemies, because I am Your servant true.

Though this psalm is easily and beautifully prayed as a personal prayer, one may also pray this psalm in a purely Christological sense and reference, with particular attention to the Sabbath rest of Jesus in the grave, awaiting the Sunday Resurrection. Almost every line takes on an enhanced poignancy in that context. (Reardon, p. 286)

Kyrie eleison; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison

In preparation for the coming days of Christ’s Passion, you may want to close this day with another setting of this final Penitential Psalm. The setting below is to the tune of Aberystwyth (Jesus, Lover of My Soul), p. 189.